CODE OF PRACTICE FOR MARRIAGE CELEBRANTS

(regulation 37L)
1. APPLICATION OF THIS CODE OF PRACTICE
Ti! Co"e o# Pra$ti$e a%%lie! to &arriage $ele'rant! ('eing %er!on!
regi!tere" un"er Su'"i(i!ion C o# Di(i!ion 1 o# Part I) o# te Marriage Act
1961).
Note: *n"er %aragra% 3+I(1)(') o# te Marriage Act 1961, i# te Regi!trar
o# -arriage Cele'rant! i! !ati!.e" tat a &arriage $ele'rant a! not
$o&%lie" /it an o'ligation un"er !e$tion 3+0 o# tat A$t, in$lu"ing ti!
Co"e o# Pra$ti$e, te Regi!trar &a1 ta2e "i!$i%linar1 &ea!ure! again!t te
&arriage $ele'rant.
3. HI0H STANDARD OF SER)ICE
A &arriage $ele'rant &u!t &aintain a ig !tan"ar" o# !er(i$e in i! or
er %ro#e!!ional $on"u$t an" %ra$ti$e.
3. RECO0NITION OF SI0NIFICANCE OF -ARRIA0E
A &arriage $ele'rant &u!t re$ogni!e te !o$ial, $ultural an" legal
!igni.$an$e o# &arriage an" te &arriage $ere&on1 in te Au!tralian
$o&&unit1, an" te i&%ortan$e o# !trong an" re!%e$t#ul #a&il1
relation!i%!.
4. CO-PLIANCE 5ITH THE -ARRIA0E ACT AND OTHER LA5S
A &arriage $ele'rant &u!t6
(a)!ole&ni7e &arriage! a$$or"ing to te legal re8uire&ent! o# te
Marriage Act 1961 (Ct)9 an"
(')o'!er(e te la/! o# te Co&&on/ealt an" o# te State or Territor1
/ere te &arriage i! to 'e !ole&ni7e"9 an"
($) %re(ent an" a(oi" unla/#ul "i!$ri&ination in te %ro(i!ion o#
&arriage $ele'ran$1 !er(i$e!.
1
:. 0ENERAL RE;*IRE-ENTS FOR -ARRIA0E CERE-ONIES
A &arriage $ele'rant &u!t re!%e$t te i&%ortan$e o# te &arriage
$ere&on1 to te %artie! an" te oter %er!on! organi!ing te $ere&on1.
To tat en", te &arriage $ele'rant &u!t "o te #ollo/ing6
(a) gi(e te %artie! in#or&ation an" gui"an$e to ena'le te& to $oo!e
or $o&%o!e a &arriage $ere&on1 tat /ill &eet teir nee"! an"
e<%e$tation!9
(') re!%e$t te %ri(a$1 an" $on."entialit1 o# te %artie!9
($) &aintain a%%ro%riate #a$ilitie! to inter(ie/ %artie! an" %ro(i"e o=$e
#a$ilitie!, in$lu"ing #a$ilitie! #or te !e$ure !torage o# re$or"!9
(") /itin a rea!ona'le ti&e 'e#ore te &arriage $ere&on16
(i) $on.r& all "etail! /it te %artie!9 an"
(ii) en!ure te return o# all %er!onal "o$u&ent! 'elonging to te
%artie! (unle!! it i! ne$e!!ar1 to 2ee% te "o$u&ent! #or te
$ere&on1)9 an"
(iii) !ign an1 ne$e!!ar1 "e$laration!9
(e) i# re8ue!te" '1 te %artie!, $on"u$t a &arriage $ere&on1 reear!al9
(#) en!ure tat i! or er %er!onal %re!entation i! o# an a%%ro%riate
!tan"ar" #or te &arriage $ere&on1, an" re!%e$t te e<%e$tation! o#
te %artie! in relation to te $ere&on19
(g) &a2e e>ort! to en!ure tat te &arriage $ere&on1 i! au"i'le to all
to!e %re!ent (u!ing au"io e8ui%&ent, i# re8uire")9
() en!ure a$$ura$1 in te %re%aration o# "o$u&ent!, an" in te
$on"u$t o# te &arriage $ere&on19
(i) arri(e at te (enue #or te &arriage $ere&on1 no later tan te ti&e
agree" /it te %artie!9
(?) i# te &arriage $ele'rant a! agree" to %er#or& &ore tan one
&arriage $ere&on1 on te !a&e "a16
(i) en!ure tat te %artie! to ea$ &arriage re$ei(e a le(el o# !er(i$e
tat &eet! teir !e%arate an" !%e$ial re8uire&ent!9 an"
(ii) 'e a(aila'le at te (enue #or ea$ &arriage $ere&on1 at lea!t 3@
&inute! 'e#ore te agree" $o&&en$e&ent o# ea$ $ere&on1
(unle!!, in te $a!e o# $on!e$uti(e $ere&onie!, te $ere&onie! are
to 'e el" at te !a&e (enue)9
(2) en!ure tat all rele(ant "o$u&ent! are $o&%lete" an" !ent to te
a%%ro%riate regi!tering autorit1 /itin 14 "a1! a#ter te &arriage
$ere&on1, a! re8uire" '1 !e$tion :@ o# te Marriage Act 19619
(l) in relation to te %ro(i!ion o# &arriage !er(i$e!, a$$e%t e(aluati(e
$o&&ent #ro& te %artie!, an" u!e an1 $o&&ent! to i&%ro(e
%er#or&an$e9
(&) gi(e te %artie! in#or&ation a'out o/ to noti#1 te Co&&on/ealt
Attorne1A0eneralB! De%art&ent o# an1 $on$ern! or $o&%laint! te1 &a1
a(e regar"ing te &arriage !er(i$e! %ro(i"e" '1 te &arriage
$ele'rant.
C. DNO5LED0E AND *NDERSTANDIN0 OF FA-ILE RELATIONSHIPS
SER)ICES
A &arriage $ele'rant &u!t6
(a) &aintain an u%AtoA"ate 2no/le"ge a'out a%%ro%riate #a&il1
relation!i%! !er(i$e! in te $o&&unit19 an"
(') in#or& %artie! a'out te range o# in#or&ation an" !er(i$e! a(aila'le
to te& to enan$e, an" !u!tain te& trougout, teir relation!i%.